India seem firm favourites to win the fifth Test as they remain in pole position to seal the game at The Oval, but Day 4 could be a potential spanner in the works.
England require 332 runs to win while the visitors need eight wickets, provided Chris Woakes does not come out to bat in the second innings. Yet, conditions might not be fully in favour of Shubman Gill and company, and that is where the danger lies.
Statistically, Day 4 at The Oval has often proved the most favourable for batters, and early signs suggest this trend could continue. The pitch, which offered pace and bounce on Day 1, has flattened out considerably.
As of now, there is grass, but just enough to keep the seamers interested. As far as spinners are concerned, they can only be expected to come into play late in the day, and even then, unpredictably. There’s uncertainty about how much bite Ravindra Jadeja or Washington Sundar can extract.
Nasser Hussain broke it down: “Surrey don’t play spinners here. The pitch has got the same amount of grass here. Batters have been able to score, it’s not a minefield. But there are patches drying up, which could offer turn late in the day. But seamers remain the main threat. There are indentations on the grass that could create variable bounce.”
“The odd ball will misbehave. Batters like Duckett and Brook will score briskly. Root and Pope are the pillars. ”
Hours of play – Day 4.
Morning session: 1100 – 1300
Lunch: 1300 – 1340
Afternoon session: 1340 – 1555
Tea: 1555 – 1615
Evening session: 1615 – 1830
Plus 30 mins extra to complete the 98 overs